The relief from lying down and feeling some of the tension and pain in my neck and shoulders subside.Getting my heap of cushions and pillows just right so my head and neck are completely supported.
Small victory #3 Hauled myself out of bed in reasonable time
For a long time now its taken me forever to get started in the morning. Today I managed to get started on my stretches and actually get out of bed within an hour of waking!
Simple but not easy: how I’m doing with nourishing vs depleting
What happened? Day 1: Made a plan then ignored it completely.Day 2 & 3: Did a little better. Made sensible looking plans and more or less alternated nourishing and depleting tasks. Although my work sessions were too long, and rest sessions too short.Day 4: Made a plan but put way too much on it. Stayed … Continue reading Simple but not easy: how I’m doing with nourishing vs depleting
Where did my afternoon go?
I have been feeling the gravitational pull of my bed almost since I got out of it this morning. I'd find myself stopped still, staring into space. Or absentmindedly taking a seat in the middle of a short conversation, or propping up my head with my hand. I was still surprised to find myself waking … Continue reading Where did my afternoon go?
Nourishing vs depleting activities: a pacing strategy
One of the first approaches to pacing that I had some success with was alternating between nourishing and depleting activities. The basic principle is that some activities use up our energy and others allow us to feel restored. The metaphor that's often used in CBT is that of a phone battery that drains while it … Continue reading Nourishing vs depleting activities: a pacing strategy
Good things today…
My partner took a day off work to give me some company and encouragement. Migraine was better this morning so I was well enough to engage properly when we viewed a house for sale. I met a friend for a quick after-work drink. (credit for the idea of a Good Things Today list belongs to … Continue reading Good things today…
Pitiful acts of rebellion
Recently I've progressed from feeling low into depression and one of the tell-take signs is a complete disregard for taking care of myself. I just don't care. And what does an act of self-sabotage look like? It's not going on a bender, avoiding an important deadline or staying up all hours. No - it's going … Continue reading Pitiful acts of rebellion
Small victory#2: Made some food to freeze for later
I experienced a setback during December that seems to be dragging on and on As a result I'm losing the will to keep persevering with rebuilding habits and routines again and again. It seems like I'm hit with a new obstacle or mini-setback before I've got close to where I was in Autumn. I feel … Continue reading Small victory#2: Made some food to freeze for later
Graded activity/pacing: progress update
Graded activity is a way of learning to manage chronic pain or illness by finding your baseline (the amount of activity you can do without exacerbating symptoms) and then gradually extending the difficulty, very slowly over time. The aim is to be able to do the things that matter to you without causing flare ups. … Continue reading Graded activity/pacing: progress update
Small victory #1 Ate a salad
I've decided to keep count of my small victories as the big ones are so few and far between. My first little win is eating a salad. It might not seem like much, but between my fussy, nauseated migraine brain and the general difficulty of organising my household chores my daytime meals have been mostly … Continue reading Small victory #1 Ate a salad